Roach only casualty in Discovery Center fire overnight

12:51 PM,
Oct. 1, 2013

Written by

Adam Tamburin
The Tennessean

Firefighters raced to rescue lizards, a tortoise and a Great horned owl at the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring overnight Monday after fire struck the animal room. One wary firefighter even carried "Bill" the python out in his arms.

A heat lamp over the python's aquarium shorted, causing the plastic top to melt and activate the sprinklers, according to a statement from Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department. The snake's glass aquarium shattered.

Sprinklers doused the flames, firefighters said, but water almost drowned several of the animals who ...